Moffat County, Colorado facts for kids

Moffat County
Quick facts for kids Moffat County
	U.S. county
	Wolf Creek Wildlife Management Area in Moffat County, Colorado
	Location within the U.S. state of Colorado
	; Colorado's location within the U.S.;
Country	United States
State	Colorado
Founded	February 27, 1911
Named for	David H. Moffat
Seat	Craig
Largest city	Craig
Area
• Total	4,751 sq mi (12,310 km2)
• Land	4,743 sq mi (12,280 km2)
• Water	7.6 sq mi (20 km2) 0.2%%
Population
• Estimate (2015)	12,937
• Density	2.9/sq mi (1.1/km2)
Time zone	UTC−7 (Mountain)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district	3rd

Moffat County is the northwesternmost of the 64 counties in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2010 census, the population was 13,795. The county seat is Craig.

Moffat County comprises the Craig, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Steamboat Springs-Craig, CO Combined Statistical Area.

History

Moffat County was created out of the western portion of Routt County on February 27, 1911. The county was named for David H. Moffat, a Colorado tycoon who died in 1911. His railroad, the Denver, Northwestern & Pacific, attempted to build a route from Denver to Salt Lake City. In 1913, a reorganized railroad, the Denver & Salt Lake, reached as far as Craig, the county seat, but no further. In the late 1890s and early 1900s, all Colorado District Courts were held in Denver, Colorado, in the State courthouse there, due to a lack of funds to build courthouses locally. All murder trials were held in Denver, in the District Courts. Allegedly, so many politically motivated murders occurred between the predominantly liberal, then, eastern Routt County, Colorado residents and the predominantly conservative, then, western Routt County residents, that the presiding judges—tired of presiding over these murder trials—requested that the State legislature split Routt County into what is now Routt and Moffat County; the legislature complied.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 4,751 square miles (12,310 km²), of which 4,743 square miles (12,280 km²) is land and 7.6 square miles (20 km²) (0.2%) is water. It is the second-largest county by area in Colorado.

Adjacent counties

National protected areas

Browns Park National Wildlife Refuge
Dinosaur National Monument
Routt National Forest
White River National Forest
Yampa River State Park

Scenic byway

Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway National Scenic Byway

Major highways

Entering Moffat County from the east on U.S. Route 40.

U.S. Highway 40
State Highway 13
State Highway 64
State Highway 317
State Highway 318
State Highway 394
Wyoming Highway 70

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1920	5,129	—
1930	4,861	−5.2%
1940	5,086	4.6%
1950	5,946	16.9%
1960	7,061	18.8%
1970	6,525	−7.6%
1980	13,133	101.3%
1990	11,357	−13.5%
2000	13,184	16.1%
2010	13,795	4.6%
Est. 2015	12,937	−6.2%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2015

As of the census of 2000, there were 13,184 people, 4,983 households, and 3,577 families residing in the county. The population density was 3 people per square mile (1/km²). There were 5,635 housing units at an average density of 1 per square mile (0/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 93.61% White, 0.21% Black or African American, 0.88% Native American, 0.33% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 3.17% from other races, and 1.77% from two or more races. 9.46% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 4,983 households out of which 38.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.70% were married couples living together, 8.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.20% were non-families. 23.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.05.

In the county, the population was spread out with 28.50% under the age of 18, 8.60% from 18 to 24, 29.90% from 25 to 44, 23.80% from 45 to 64, and 9.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 107.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $41,528, and the median income for a family was $45,511. Males had a median income of $37,288 versus $22,080 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,540. About 6.90% of families and 8.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.30% of those under age 18 and 9.30% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Other unincorporated places

Elk Springs
Greystone
Hamilton
Massadona
Lay